San Diego supervisors advance ordinance tightening camping rules, limit enforcement to imminent risks

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors on May 7 voted unanimously to introduce an ordinance updating county rules on unauthorized camping on county-owned land, parks and public works infrastructure and to limit criminal citations so officers may use them only where a violation poses an imminent risk of death, serious injury or spread of wildfire.

County staff said the ordinance package, introduced by the Planning & Development Services team and related departments, is designed to reduce fire risk and protect public health and county infrastructure while incorporating input from people with lived experience of homelessness. Deanna Beck, director of Homeless Solutions, said staff solicited feedback from the Homeless Experienced Advocacy and Leadership (HEAL) network and that the network recommended, among other things, allowing up to 72 hours' notice to vacate when circumstances are not urgent.

The ordinance would prohibit ignition sources, maintaining open fires, camping with an ignition source and discarding smoking materials on county parks, streets, and any county-owned or -managed property. Staff also proposed provisions to prohibit storing personal belongings or activities that alter county-managed open space and infrastructure, including digging or removing vegetation.

During the board debate supervisors pressed staff on the enforcement language. Andrew Strong of the Public Services Group told the board that the ordinance as drafted originally required that law enforcement could issue a citation only when an individual refused available shelter and there was sufficient shelter for all unhoused people in the unincorporated area — language staff later and unanimously agreed to remove because supervisors said it would make the ordinance effectively unenforceable. County counsel and sheriff's counsel clarified that other criminal statutes (trespass, loitering, illegal lodging) remain available enforcement options.

Supervisor Anderson, who moved the ordinance introduction, and Supervisor Montgomery Stepp, who offered amendments to define imminent risks, said the changes were intended to focus enforcement on public safety and fire prevention rather than to criminalize homelessness. Supervisor Desmond pressed for a narrower shelter-related standard; after amendments and further edits the board struck the shelter-availability requirement and limited citation authority to situations posing imminent risk of death, serious injury or wildfire spread (the board also removed the catch-all shelter-availability trigger).

Staff said the ordinance would be returned on May 20 for further action on targeted abatement in high fire-risk areas and — if adopted — would take effect 30 days after adoption. The county emphasized operational challenges, noting shelter availability changes daily and that a citation may still be issued if an encampment presents an imminent risk.

The board voted to introduce the ordinance and to proceed with the revised enforcement language; supervisors voted unanimously to advance the item. Staff will return May 20 with further recommendations on abatement in high fire-risk zones.